What Your Perfume Is Really Doing To You
It’s a scary thought: something that you use everyday may be slowly making you sick. We’ve spoken before about the dangers of non-clean beauty that you are directly applying to the skin. But what about something like perfume, that you spritz on once a day and run out the door without a second thought? Surprisingly, your perfume could be one of the worst things for you on your vanity.
What is fragrance?
On many perfume ingredients, “fragrance” is listed as one of the top ingredients, but what really is that? Sadly, “fragrance” is an umbrella term used in the cosmetics industry to describe chemicals that they don’t want to put on the label, including: benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and phthalates. According to the Environmental Working Group, almost 75% of the products in “fragrance” were phthalate based, which is a hugely damaging chemical that disrupts hormones in women and can lead to many side effects.
More Dangerous Than You Think
Aside from causing hormonal imbalance, coughing, sneezing, allergic reactions, swollen lymph nodes, and so much more, some of the chemicals in your everyday perfume can even penetrate all the way down to your organs-or further. Acetaldehyde is common in mainstream perfumes and has been found to penetrate the placenta into the fetus of pregnant women. Many of the ingredients are neurotoxins- meaning they cause damage to the brain and nervous system, and prolonged use over time will heed these effects.
So What Now?
That part is easy- below are some of our absolute favorite clean perfumes that contain none of the bad stuff and all of the delicious, natural scents that we love. Support a fragrance brand who’s doing it right- and support your brain too!
by Rosie Jane “Angie”
We always talk about this brand when we discuss fragrances, but they’re an absolute favorite here at E&J, and their new scent “Angie” is what we’re all about for fall. With figs, honeysuckle and jasmine, this perfume leaves you floral in a cozy way and we just can’t get enough!
Earth Tu Face “Leaves & Wood”
If you want something beautiful and luxurious, this solid perfume comes inside a seashell, and no two are alike since the seashell is real. Get those true mermaid vibes with this gorgeous multipurpose product that you can apply on the go. Australian Sandalwood, Neroli and Bergamot make up this deliciously fall scent, but they also have a solid Jasmine scent as well as a Geranium, Lavender, Patchouli and Ylang Ylang shell.
Ellis Brooklyn “Myth”
This fragrance is renowned for giving user s a relief from the headaches and allergy troubles of conventional perfumes, and comes in a modern bottle that wouldn’t look out of place next to a Chanel or Diptyque fragrance. Myth is made up of a musky-feminine scent with a hint of grapefruit that just smells like inviting skin and lasts all day. Tiger Orchid and Cedarwood round out this scent and is another great addition to a fall collection.
DedCool 03 “Black Violet & Saffron”
This brand offers a great combination of scents that you don’t normally see together, and we are loving this Black Violet & Saffron scent. This is a gender neutral, yet light, scent that’s not only floral but also woody and warm. It’s quite a bright scent that stands out without being too overpowering, while still being a signature scent.